Switch for overhead-trolley tracks.



PATENTED APR. 2, 1907.

F. KRAMER. SWITCH FOR OVERHEAD TROLLEY TRACKS.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 1, 1906.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK KRAMER, OF LOS ANGELES, OALIFORN IA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- THIRD TODANIEL MOCONAGHY,

OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

SWITCH FOR OVERHEAD-TROLLEY TRACKS- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 2, 1907'.

Application filed October 1. 1906. Serial No. 336.942.

1 0 all 1072/0711 it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK :KRAMER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State ofCalifornia, have invented new and useful Improvements in a Switch forOver head-Trolley Tracks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a switch for ele vated carrier systems such asare commonly employed in slaughtering-houses. In systems of this kind itis necessary to provide for numerous branch tracks, and at the junctionof these latter with the main track there must be provided a switch. ofsome kind so that the carrier may be sent over the main track or overthe branch track at will.

My invention has to do with a switch of this character, and it is of theobjects of this invention to provide a switch of improved constructionin which the main track and switch-track have movable rail-sectionsarranged at the junction and are connected to operating mechanism insuch a manner so that one of the movable rail-sections will be placed inposition to close a gap in the track while the other is removed.

Another object of my invention is to provide automatic closing means, sothat when one of the movable rail-sections is in an open position thetrolley-wheel of the carrier operating on that track will operatemechanism to automatically throw the rail-section in engagement so as toclose the gap in the track.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device that is simpleand effective in operation and economical in construction.

I accomplish these objects by means of the device described herein andillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a sideelevation of my improved switch, showing the removable railsection inthe main track in its closed position. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig.1, but showing the removable rail-section in the main track in an openposition. Fig. 3 is a plan view taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is adetail plan of the grooved pulley and connecting mechanism.

Referring to the drawings, 5 indicates a main track, and 6 a branchtrack, both of which are secured to the ceiling 7 by means ofdownwardly-projecting hangers 8. Adj acent the point where the branchtrack joins the main track is located a removable switch.- bar 9, oneend of which is pivoted, as at 10, to the main track 5. Pivotallysecured, as at 11, to the branch track 6 and adjacent the point where itoins the main track is a movable sWitch-bar 12, preferably segmental inform. Both of these switch-bars when in their operative position, asshown in Figs. 1 and 2, form a continuous track.

Pivotally secured to each of the removable switch-bars 9 and 12 areconnecting-links 13 and 14, which extend upwardly above the ceiling andwhich are pivotally connected to operating-bars 15 and 16, which arepivotally mounted in bearings 17 and 13, secured to the upper side ofthe ceiling 7. The other ends of bars 15 and 16 are provided with slots19, which are adapted to engage operatingpins 20, secured to the sidesnear the periphcry, and at points diametrically opposite each other, ofarevolubly-mounted grooved pulley 21. Secured in the groove of pulley 21with the free ends 24 and 25 projecting d ownwardly is a flexibleoperating-pull 23. W'hen one of the switch-bars is in engagement withthe track and it is desired to throw the other bar into engagement, asimple pull on one of the free ends of pull 23 completes the operation,pulling one out of engagement and forcing the other in.

Each of the switch-bars are provided with a device in combination withthe manuallyoperated mechanism to automatically throw the switch-barsinto their operative position when open, so as to permit of a freepassage of the carrier when approaching the switch from itsnon-switching direction. As the devices are similar in construction andoperate in precisely the same manner, I will only describe the oneconnected to the main track 5.

The device consists, preferably, of a rockerarm 26, which is pivoted inits middle to the main track 5. Pivotally secured to the lower end ofthe rocker-arm 26 is a connecting-link 27, which extends toward theswitchbar 9, its other end being pivoted to a downwardly-depending arm28, which is pivotally secured to the hanger 8, and a connectinglink 29,one end of which is pivoted to arm 28, the other end being pivotallyconnected to the switch-bar 9 at a point where the connecting-link 13 ispivoted to the switch-bar.

The ends of the switch-bars or movable sections have their ends out onan angle, so

that when they are in their operative position their beveled or angularedges will contact with the beveled or angular edges in the tracks,which will act as a stop to limit their further downward movement and tohold them firmly in position while the carrier is passing over them.Secured to one side and projecting beyond the free ends of switchbars 9and 12 is a tongue or projection 10 and 11, which are adapted to enterthe pocket or groove 32, formed by the fiat face of hanger 8 and theside of the track, thereby forming a firm seat for the bar and providingagainst any lateral movement.

The operation of the parts is as follows: Assuming the switch-bar 9 tobe in place on the main track 5 and the carrier 30 is running in thedirection indicated by the arrow, and it is desired to shunt thecarrier, with its load secured thereto, to another portion of thebuilding, the operator pulls on rope 24, thereby rotating pulley 2 1, bywhich rotation pins 20 rock the pivoted bars 15 and 16, mounted inbearings 17 and 18, b .r 15 pulling the switch-bar 9 into a raisedposition and bar 16 forcing the segmental bar 12 into place between themain andbranch lines of the track. The carrier 30 can then proceed inthe desired direction. If the carrier 30 should happen to be coming fromthe opposite direction on the main line and the switch-bar 9 shouldhappen to be in its open position, trolley-wheel 31 would contact withthe rocker-arm 26 and force it downwardly in passing over it, therebydepressing the switch-bar 9 into its closed position, and at the sametime operating bar 16, connected to the pulley 21, so as to pullswitch-bar 12 out of engagement with track 5, thus a'tl'ording astraight unbroken track, the automatic operation of the segmentalswitch-bar 12, located in the branch track, being exactly the same asfor the operation of the switchbar 9.

It will be noted from the foregoing description that I have produced anoverhead switch that can be operated either manually or automatically.

It will also be further noted that I have produced a switch that iseconomical in construction, and having few parts it is rendered lessliable to get out of order.

Having described my invention, what 'l claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. An overhead switch, comprising a main track and a switchtraclr, saidtracks being attached to the ceiling by means of hangers, saidswitch-track joining said first-named track at an angle thereto;removable sections pivotally secured in said tracks adjacent their pointof junction; a grooved pulley revolubly mounted in bearings secured tothe ceiling; engaging pins secured to the opposite sides of said pulleynear its periphery an at points diametrically opposite each other; apair of operating-arms pivotally mounted in bearings secured to theceiling, hav ng slots in their ends adapted to engage the pins securedto the pulley; connecting-links secured to the outer end of saidlast-named arms, their other ends being pivotally secured to theremovable sections; and operating means secured to the pulley wherebythe removable sections are pulled one into and the other out ofengagement with the tracks simultaneously.

2. An overhead switch, comprising a main track and a switch-track, saidtracks being attached to the ceiling by means of hangers, saidswitch-track joining the first-named track at an angle thereto;removable sections pivotally secured to said track adjacent their pointof junction; a grooved pulley revolubly mounted in bearings secured tothe ceiling; engaging pins secured to the side of said pulley near itsperiphery and at points diametrically opposite each other; a pair ofoperating-arms pivotally mounted in bearings secured to the ceilinghaving slots in their ends adapted to engage the pins secured to thepulley; connecting-links secured to the outer end of said last-namedarm; their other ends being pivotally secured to the removable sectionsoperating-pulls secured to said pulley; removable-section-operatingtongues pivotally secured to said main track and switchtra'clr, saidtongues projecting upwardly in the path of the carrier when either ofsaidremovable sections are in their open position, the lower ends ofsaid tongues projecting downwardly below the main switch-track; movablearms pivotally secured to the hangers adjacent the pivotal point of theremovable sections; connecting-links pivotally secured to the lower armsof the operatingtongue, their other ends pivotally engaging thedownwardly-projecting arms secured to the hanger; and connecting-linkspivotally secured to the outer end of the downwardlyprojecting armssecured to the hangers, their other ends pivotally engaging theremovable sections at points where the first-named connecting-linlrsengage the sections.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my namethis 19th day of September, 1906.

FREDERICK KRAMER.

Witnesses:

EDMUND A. STRAUSE, M. A. JONES.

